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New Patrol Base Under Construction

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq, March 11, 2008  Construction of Patrol Base Vanderhorn began in early March near Sayifiyah, a region formerly controlled by insurgents.

Army 1st Lt. James Robinson, a platoon leader with Company A, 26th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, hooks a chain from a crane to a military container at Patrol Base Vanderhorn, Iraq, on March 6, 2008. The 26th BSB is transporting supplies to PB Vanderhorn, currently under construction. Photo by Sgt. Jason Stadel, USA(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The patrol base will be home to a company from 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The unit is taking over the area of operations from 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st BCT, 3rd Infantry Division. Both battalions are operationally attached to 2nd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division.

Building supplies were transported by 26th Brigade Support Battalion. The 535th Engineer Company, from Grafenwoehr, Germany, was tasked with building the base.

Food, water, base defense systems and living quarters were transported to the base by Companies A and B, 26th BSB. The battalion has helped build numerous patrol bases in the 2nd BCT’s area of operations since their deployment began in May. Building patrol bases is a much different mission than what the company tackled on their last deployment.

The 535th Engineer Co. also built Patrol Base Meade. The unit is normally a quick-reaction engineer unit that does rapid road repair. For example, if an IED were to explode and create a large crater in the road, they would be called to fix the hole to prevent another IED emplacement there, Benz said. However, with recent work, he said, his soldiers are becoming proficient at building patrol bases.

“We’ve learned from success,” Benz said, referring to PB Meade, which was fully operational in less than 30 days from the day construction started.

Most of the work is done by coalition forces, but there is some Iraqi involvement. A local crane operator, known simply as “Sammy,” was hired to move walls and large metal containers into place around the patrol base. Sammy worked at Patrol Base Meade and now is working at PB Vanderhorn. Benz said he is an asset to coalition forces.

“He works and works and works,” Benz said. “He never complains; he goes until the job is done. I think he understands that we’re here to help, so he works as hard as he can for us.”

In most cases, U.S. troops train Iraqis at various skills and trades, however, with Sammy the tables have turned. “This guy has even trained a couple of my soldiers on how to run the crane,” Benz said. “He is helping our soldiers get on-the-job experience.”

Since liberating Sayifiyah from extremists, coalition forces have started a Sons of Iraq program and held two coordinated medical engagements. The construction of Patrol Base Vanderhorn will put coalition forces among Sayifiyah residents to help rebuild their community, officials said.

An Iraqi contractor uses a crane to lift military containers into place at Patrol Base Vanderhorn, Iraq, March 6, 2008. The contractor has been hired to help build the patrol base. He also helped build neighboring Patrol Base Meade. Photo by Sgt. Jason Stadel, USADownload screen-resolutionDownload high-resolution